Many of us came down with chicken pox when were children, some remember some don’t since they were too small for the event to be burned into long term memory. As parents with our own children, we want to know what are the causes of chicken pox. Caused by a virus known as the varicella virus, it is contagious and can spread quickly among children that have not already been infected. If you are unfortunate enough to have a long term memory of an infection, you can remember looking in the mirror at yourself covered with red spots, not unlike someone that has been peppered with bird shot from a shot gun.

Generally appearing on the scalp, face and torso, the rash usually takes about two to three weeks to incubate once infected after contracting the chicken pox. Highly contagious, a person infected with the virus can transmit it to others for about two days or forty-eight hours before red spots begin to show up. Remaining contagious until the spots become blisters and crust over, it is recommended that those whom have not contracted chicken pox stay away from infected people.

Chicken Pox Symptoms

The Chicken Pox have three different stages once contracted with the first being pink or red raised bumps which leads to stage two, fluid filled blisters. Eventually, the blisters form a crusty surface and scab over. In some cases all three stages may occur simultaneously.

Many times, symptoms often appear before the tell-tale rash associated with chicken pox makes itself known in the form of loss of appetite or stomach pain, fever accompanied with a mild headache or separately, irritability and general discomfort, cough (dry).

Chicken Pox Complications

Although scarring is not usually a concern with most blisters, it can happen when they are scratched repeatedly and scratching should be avoided if possible. Blisters can also become infected in some chicken pox cases enflaming the skin surrounding the area around the blister, usually requiring antibiotics to clear up the infection. Some sufferers have reported the development of ear infections. Other complications may present, however rare, which include: trouble breathing, noticeable severe weakness, drowsiness, inability to drink liquids due to blisters present inside the mouth and not recovering in a generally accepted time frame.

Shingles - Chicken Pox Connection

The causes of Chicken Pox are the same for Shingles since they both are derivatives of the same Vermicelli virus. For anyone that has suffered form chicken pox, the possibility of contracting Shingles is a possibility, especially during middle to old age. Shingles is the infection of a nerve where Varicella virus has remained dormant, in most cases for years. The medical community does not really know why the virus residing in the root of the nerve sometimes reactivates and presents in the form of Shingles on the skin, generally in the location of the host nerve.

Chicken Pox Treatment

Since the virus will run it’s course until completion, there is really nothing that can be done other than treating the symptoms associated with chicken pox. It is important to stay hydrated and drink plenty of liquids to avoid the onset of dehydration. Over the counter pain-relievers such as Ibuprofen or aspirin to reduce fever and relieve, aches and pains as well as headaches. Antihistamines can be used to help with sleep since itching is often associated with chicken pox. It is important to maintain short nails since scratching the blisters can often cause scarring.

Although there is no cure for chicken pox, children can be vaccinated to prevent them from contracting the virus although some parents opt out of having there children vaccinated since more complications can develop when the virus is contracted as an adult. Causes of chicken pox are only possible when exposed to the Varicella virus and no other source.